The First Light Awards 2013

It was really great to have attended The First Light Awards 2013 as it was an event that celebrated young talent that fills the future of British filmmaking full of hope.

Held at ODEON Leicester Square in London, the ceremony was hosted by funny duo comedian Iain Sterling and CBBC’s Hacker T Dog.

For more information, visit the website.

Useful links:
- First Light
- Second Light Blog
- Make a Film

Akram Khan and Richard Raymond team up in Desert Dancer

Richard Raymond has teamed up with internationally renowned dancer and choreographer Akram Khan to bring his directorial debut DESERT DANCER to the big screen. The British film stars Slumdog Millionaire’s Frieda Pinto as well as Reece Ritchie and Tom Cullen.

Set in Iran, where dance is illegal and punishable by prison – DESERT DANCER is the incredible true story of Afshin Ghaffarian who risks everything to fight for his dreams.

The story follows Afshin as he hacks into YouTube (also banned in Iran) and teaches himself how to dance by watching music videos – everything from Michael Jackson and Bob Fosse to Pina Bausch, Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov. With YouTube as his teacher, Afshin starts an underground dance company at university with his friends. As their skills develop the group put on a secret dance performance deep in the desert. Their story plays out against the 2009 protests, when the passion and defiance of a young generation lit the flame of revolution still sweeping the Middle East and North Africa.

Director Richard Raymond said: “When I first discovered this story, I immediately connected with it and felt compelled to share it with the widest audience. It’s a story that provokes unity and reminds us of the hope to be found in human resilience and in the simple determination to fight for what is right.

“This film reflects a belief that we should all have the same rights and basic freedoms, no matter where we come from. And most importantly, we should all have the opportunity to realise our dreams.”

He added: “It has been a privilege and a great experience to collaborate with Akram, whose interpretation of dance is not just visually mesmerising but also beautifully spiritual and it is a testament to the passion and love surrounding this film that such a talented and dedicated cast have worked so hard in training with us.”

Choreographer Akram Khan said: “This film is the beginning of the end of a tradition of trying to capture dance… Because this film is not just about dance, but about the very purpose and reason why dance is so important in our lives.

“I am extremely excited to be working alongside the vision and passion of Richard, where at once, he sees and captures the true essence of the body. Not only is the story an inspiring one about the struggle to free oneself from a political regime through dance, but it is also the very freedom we all have a right to have, regardless of what country, what nationality, or what culture we come from. Dance transcends these boundaries, and film allows us to witness the fleeting moments of the soul in action. I feel this film reveals just that.”

DESERT DANCER also stars Nazanin Boniadi, who is an official spokesperson for Amnesty International USA and has campaigned against the unjust conviction and treatment of Iranian youth, women and prisoners of conscience.

The film will start Principal Photography in Casablanca on October 17th 2012, before moving to London and then finally Paris. DESERT DANCER will be released in the UK in 2013.

More speakers for MGEITF 2012 plus scoop some cash

The 37th annual MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival has some additional sessions and industry names on the bill between Thursday 23rd and Saturday 25th August, as well as the indies getting in with a chance of scooping a lucrative investment from Pinewood Studios.

As the rivalry and commercial tension increases between the UK’s two biggest channels, it’s been an explosive year in peak time entertainment, from the on-going dominance of The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing to the much-hyped arrival of nervous newcomers The Voice and Superstar. Star Wars! The Battle For Saturday Night will explore the hard fought battle to win the most coveted slot in our TV schedules and discover how to deliver a ratings busting, smash-hit. Elaine Bedell (Director of Comedy and Entertainment, ITV), Mark Linsey (Controller, Entertainment Commissioning) and Siobhan Green (Incoming Director of Entertainment, ITV Studios) join the discussion with chair Richard Bacon. There will also be a special performance from a mystery guest.

Former BBC One Controller Lorraine Heggessey, who recently launched production company Boom Pictures, will join the panel for the BBC DG 2.0 session, alongside Greg Dyke, openDemocracy Chairman David Elstein and Chief Executive of Left Bank Pictures Andy Harries. The session will consider the challenges and obstacles facing incoming Director- General George Entwistle, whose appointment marks the start of a critical new era for the BBC.

One of five indies is set to scoop a sought after £30k investment from Pinewood Studios in the culmination of the Pinewood Pitching competition; those in the running are today confirmed as RDF’s Neale Simpson, presenting Unbeatable, markthree media’s Adam Hunt, presenting Story:Time, STV’s Amy Maher, presenting The Lie which was written with colleague Gary Chippington, Pirate Productions’ Jenny Williams and Avalon’s Toby Stevens, co-presenting Bid for Brains, and Zebra Crossing’s Nev Pitty-Rose, presenting Table 10.

Each of the indies will one by one present their TV format idea in front of an audience and panel of experienced commissioning figures. The panel comprises Elaine Bedell, Zai Bennett
(Controller, BBC Three), Emma Tennant (Controller, UKTV) and Phil Edgar-Jones (Head of Entertainment, Sky). The prize package will include studio time, crew and post-production towards a pilot.

Meanwhile, help will be at hand for aspiring or struggling Indies as the Festival plays host to The Indie Surgery, a Q and A with some of the biggest and most influential figures in independent TV production. Eileen Gallagher (CEO, Shed Productions), Magnus Temple (Founder, The Garden), Tom Manwaring (Managing Director, Mediatique) and Andy Harries (Chief Executive, Left Bank Pictures) will answer all of prevalent questions on buying, launching, sustaining success and selling, as well as addressing topics such as setting up in the USA and how crucial having an agent really is in long term expansion…

In other news, The Inbetweeners favourite Simon Bird and his Friday Night Dinner co-star Tom Rosenthal will also be taking questions from fans and delegates alike in a first screening of the Channel 4 comedy’s second series at the Filmhouse.

Registration for the 2012 MGEITF is now open. Visit the MGEITF website for further information.

Useful links
MGEITF website
Follow the Festival on Twitter

MGEITF 2012

The 37th annual MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival has confirmed its full Festival programme, with the final schedule revealing it to be the most diverse, thought provoking line-up of creative and industry heavyweights to date. 

Taking place for the first time between Thursday 23rd and Saturday 25th August, the three-day Festival will feature a line up of sessions that focus on this year’s biggest television breakthroughs and finest successes, as well as addressing the current and future issues that the industry is facing.

Delivering this year’s MacTaggart Lecture is Elisabeth Murdoch, who follows in the footsteps of former speakers who include Eric Schmidt, Mark Thompson, James Murdoch, Dennis Potter, Michael Grade, Greg Dyke, Peter Fincham and David Liddiment.

The opening session kicks off MGETIF 2012 with Celebrity Juice taking to the stage. Keith Lemon will host this live special edition of ITV2’s award-winning comedy panel game show, featuring team captains Holly Willoughby and Emma Bunton, who will lead bang-tidy teams featuring some of TV’s biggest names.

To honour Channel 4’s thirtieth anniversary, the Festival will look back on how the channel has broken creative boundaries throughout three decades on air, whilst speculating on its future strategy. Channel 4 – Still A Rebel at 30? asks whether the channel can still fulfill its remit to innovate, experiment and be creative, and whether it can really remain a middle aged rebel. Former CEO Michael Jackson uses his unique experience to challenge current boss David Abraham in an authoritative and engaging debate about what Channel 4 actually stands for today.

BBC DG 2.0 will ask the experts what key decisions face incoming Director-General George Entwistle, as Mark Thompson prepares to depart the post. How will the BBC enter the next phase of its history? How might the BBC continue to evolve under his stewardship?

Looking back to the biggest international event of the year, the Festival’s Delivering the Olympic Dream session will bring together core members of the production team to relay the good, the bad and the ugly moments of the BBC and London 2012’s delivery of ‘the greatest show on Earth’. While an international overview of 2012 is addressed by Egyptian doctor turned political satirist Bassem Youssef, whose observational ‘fake news’ programme has developed an international cult following, as he delivers the 2012 Worldview Address.

Looking ahead, the CCO of Internet streaming giant Netflix, Ted Sarandos, described as the man ‘everyone in Hollywood wants a meeting with’, will speak in The Futureview Address, addressing the company’s upcoming plans within the UK market.

This year’s exciting interviews include prolific British film director Michael Apted, who this year brought the eighth installment of the iconic Up series to television screens, for The Richard Dunn Memorial Interview as he reflects on a career that has spawned numerous BAFTA Awards.

One of Britain’s most distinguished TV documentary producers, Adam Curtis, will provide a Masterclass, sharing insight and wisdom from his thirty years in groundbreaking film making, and discussing his many pioneering investigations for the BBC Current Affairs unit.

The Alternative MacTaggart will feature prolific broadcaster, satirist, screenwriter and journalist Charlie Brooker speaking live to award-winning Independent columnist Grace Dent. The Screenwipe star will discuss his experiences as a writer, producer and showrunner, as well as talking about his latest productions and the world of television criticism.

Meanwhile Welsh TV actress and writer Ruth Jones will be talking to Boyd Hilton about being an actor, writer and co-founding her own production company in their session, Ruth Jones: Keeping up with Jonesy.

Some of this year’s biggest and most talked about TV shows, both home grown formats and transatlantic TV hits, will get the Masterclass treatment, with appearances from the figures behind their success.

Outstanding drama, comedy and documentary series feature in the Festival’s Masterclass line-up. One of this year’s most talked about series, BBC One drama Sherlock, hosts a Masterclass with appearances from show creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, and producer Sue Vertue.

A Modern Family Masterclass welcomes Emmy award winning writer and producer Steve Levitan, the co-creator of Modern Family. Steve will reveal what it’s like to be the brains behind a multi-award winning show which regularly attracts audiences of over 16 million viewers in America alone, including the President!

The Educating Essex Masterclass will feature Series Director David Clews, Channel 4 Commissioner Mark Raphael and the indisputable stars of the show, Head Teacher Vic Goddard and his Deputy Stephen Drew. They will reveal why they feel Pass Mores School in Essex touched viewers’ hearts and became one of the most discussed shows of the autumn. They will also detail the realities of managing 65 cameras, 1000 students, parents and consent forms, to make education a breakthrough TV hit.

In addition, the Horrible Histories creative team will be telling delegates how they bring the past to life with brilliant sketches, songs and cartoons, Packed full of shocking facts, bonkers beliefs and gruesome punishments, the programme has transformed the children’s television landscape and continues to inform and entertain millions of children and grown-ups alike..

The challenges and creativity involved in producing successful dramas are addressed by a number of sessions at the year’s Festival. Homeland Leaves Home: The Journey of a Hit International Format will feature conversation with Gideon Raff and Avi Nir, the Israeli creators of the series Prisoners of War (Hatufim) and those who brought the drama series to life in the US as Homeland. They will review how the deal was born and the business and creative challenges that came with adapting a big Israeli hit series into a successful American programme.

The First Ten Minutes will examine hit dramas Scott and Bailey and Call the Midwife with the creative teams behind them. The session will explore how to make the crucial first ten minutes of that first episode compelling and addictive, examine the significance of the marketing and PR before the show airs and question what impact the channel it is aired on has on it.

The TV documentary will also come under examination in Alive and Kicking Docs on the Box, exploring how best to capture documentary truth, off the back of contemporary documentary formats such as Educating Essex, One Born Every Minute and 24 Hours in A & E, all of which have accrued both critical praise and ratings success. In today’s documentary formats, how heavily are we relying on the contributors to make the show for us?

Meanwhile, in a special series of screenings, delegates will be treated to an exclusive first look at the first episode of the next series of Doctor Who, while Frank Spotnitz, the award winning American television writer and producer best known for his work on The X-Files, will discuss new UK spy-thriller Hunted. Also joining the compelling array of previews is a screening of Loving Miss Hatto, followed by a rare and exclusive interview with comedienne Victoria Wood.

The ever popular Meet the Controller sessions return, as Channel Controllers draw on their highs and lows throughout 2012; BBC One’s Danny Cohen, ITV1’s Peter Fincham, Channel 4’s Jay Hunt, Channel 5’s Jeff Ford, Sky’s Stuart Murphy, BBC Four’s Richard Klein, and ITV2’s Angela Jain and UKTV’s Emma Tennant, will all be taking the hot seat. And with new multichannel controller sessions added to the controllers strand this year, delegates will also get to hear about shopping lists for MTV, Comedy Central, Discovery, Nat Geo and more.

For the first time, Deloitte’s annual report on the state of the UK TV sector will make it onto the conference agenda in Stats, Lies and Videotape? Key findings within the report will go up for discussion amongst a panel of invited industry celebrity guests, looking at the top talking points in television in 2012.

Further new sessions include China: A Long Walk for a Short Drink?, where Zespa media Managing Director and Chinese TV industry expert Jean Dong will take delegates on a journey to her native China, explaining how to sell your format in this rapidly expanding market.

The Festival will tackle the profound implications of the Scottish referendum on independence on the broadcasting landscape.  Leading political and cultural figures will examine the practicalities and effects of dismantling the BBC, the introduction of legal production quotas and competitive tax breaks and the political battleground that is EastEnders.

It will also address the changing nature of media platforms as YouTube Superstar Jamal Edwards, the hottest internet mogul on the block, will sit alongside Justin Gayner, co-founder of Channel Flip, to discuss making millions – of hits and pounds – via direct to consumer platforms in Who Needs a Commission Anyway?

While We’re Stealing Your Stuff: The Piracy Problem will be dissecting how the web is changing ownership business models.  In a world where television can be instantly and infinitely copied and shared, what can TV creatives do to make sure they make money and retain creative control over their output? 

This year’s schedule features new live pitching sessions to encourage and support new ideas and creativity within the industry. In The Pinewood Pitching Competition, programme makers will battle it out in front of a live Edinburgh TV festival audience to win a Pinewood sponsored studio pilot. Applications are now open for programme makers to submit their idea for a studio based format, with the best five invited to pitch to a panel of channel controllers live at the Festival.

Budding broadcast entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to get a film commissioned for Channel 4’s arts strand Random Acts in an exciting live pitch. Ones To Watch Elevator Pitch will see twelve finalists present their ideas to Channel 4 Arts Commissioning Editor Tabitha Jackson.

Then looking back over the past 12 months, The Channel of the Year Awards will be voted for by festival delegates, who will be able to cast their vote before attending the live ceremony on Friday 24thAugust.

Along with headline sponsors MediaGuardian and YouTube, the Festival is delighted to have 13 major sponsors confirmed this year, including 3 brand new, the Canadian Tourism Commission, UKTV and Xbox. Collectively the sponsors will enhance the delegates’ festival experience with networking, business insight and demonstration of the latest technologies transforming entertainment in the living-room.

Registration for the 2012 MGEITF is now open. Visit the MGEITF website for further information.

Useful links
MGEITF website
Follow the Festival on Twitter

TV Fast Train 2012

Free training event for media freelancers TV Fast Train 2012 was a success. Hosted by BBC Academy in partnership with Creative Skillset and other industry partners, the day saw more than 500 attendees attending 24 masterclasses and 160 practical training sessions.

My first Fast Train session was Using Social Media to Grow Your Brand. It was about reaching, building and engaging audiences. It featured my online idols: BBC’s Social Media Lead Dan Biddle; Telegraph Hill‘s Barry Pilling and Twitter Guy Stephen Saul. It was chaired by Sara Brailsford from Atomized. Check out the podcast from the session.

Next session was Where’s the Next Big One? Features and Formats. It aimed to give those who wish to find the next big thing on telly tips on where to start when devising features and format hits. Panellists include Remarkable Television‘s Colette Foster; Bridget Boseley of Outline Productions; Alan Brown of Chocolate Media; Karoline Copping from Channel 4 and chaired by TV exec Anna Richardson. It was interesting to hear their own programme highlights from their careers and programmes that they wished they have come up with. What became apparent was that these shows were or a combination of the following elements: aspirational, relevant to the people and the times we are in, have good talent, good characters, good home take out and some element of jeopardy and pay off. A good narrative would not go amiss!

Then there was Social Media and second screens. Here are some interesting stats:

• Media multitasking: adults using two or more media in the same half hour 79%
• Nearly half of all adults and three quarters of 15-24s access the internet on their laptop while watching TV
• 20% of adults and 40% 15-24s watch TV via internet while watching another television programme on the main telly
• 6% of adults and 17% of 15-24 year olds like to chat about a programme online while viewing it on TV

I really would have loved to have made it to Meet the BBC Controllers. Luckily, there’s a controllers’ session podcast.

So there you have it, thought I’d share with you my TV Fast Train experience. It truly is wonderful to have events like this to really help with continuing professional development.

- TV Fast Train 2012: the round up
- BBC TV Fast Train Storify
- TV Fast Train on Flickr

Second screen telly: BBC Fusion

Second screen TV is the current industry buzz word and producers are thinking up of ideas that go beyond linear programme making. Producers’ roles are also changing in which they are having to understand and really think about the multi-platform and dual screen experiences of their audiences. BBC Academy through BBC Fusion recently organised Fusion Second Screen Summit, Fusion to Screen, where the current dual screen main players gave their points of view, case studies, pitfalls as well as available technological opportunities that they know of.

Below is the blog post from the Academy:

If you’ve ever sat and fiddled with your smartphone or laptop while ‘watching’ TV, you’ve experienced the wonders of second screen technology.

The question is: what were you doing with that second screen? Whether it’s tapping out an email, doing a bit of internet shopping or replying to a friend on Twitter, the chances are that your activity rarely has anything to do with the programme currently being displayed on the TV screen in your lounge.

Admit it – you were distracted.

And, unfortunately for conventional programme-makers who are keen to keep people’s eyeballs firmly focused on their latest piece of work, this potential distraction is only going to get greater. The statistics show that smartphone take up is on the rise, and that the big screen in the corner of the room is going to have to fight even harder for the attention of the people sitting in front of it.

Simply making arresting content is a start. But there is a another way, known variously as dual screen or synched second screen, where, instead of being in competition with other devices, TV works with them to create something unique.

This was the subject of the ‘Second Screen Telly’ Fusion Summit which aimed to explore the opportunities, challenges and new formats of two-screen TV viewing

Hosted by the BBC Academy at its headquarters in White City, the day-long event (#fusion2screen) was attended by both BBC staff and a large proportion of the companies already making second screen a viable reality.

So what can be done to unite TV and second screen? Anthony Rose, head of Zeebox and former head of BBC iPlayer, summed it up neatly while on a panel discussing the ‘state of the art’. In his view, there are four uses: as an interactive programme guide where you can find different programmes to watch; as something to keep you entertained while you’re watching a show; as a remote control that can alter what’s on the main screen; or as a means to buy something that is currently on screen, either in an ad or via product placement.

Speaking on the same panel, Tom Williams of BBC Vision described how the BBC is getting involved with the second. He revealed that two play-along quizzes which synchronise with broadcast programmes are currently being developed and will be revealed later this year.

Simon Brickle from Monterosa was positive about the use of bespoke second screen applications in relation to TV shows. He said his company’s research suggested that people actually pay more attention to what’s on TV when using accompanying dual screen apps – not less. He said that second screen could also act as a “magical funnel” to channel passive TV viewers into active online users of any related online content.

It was clear throughout the day that most speakers believed that, far from being a passing fad, second screen is set to shake things up in the world of TV. Rose said that the ability to click and buy what is on screen would mean the reinvention of the world of TV advertising in the next few years. Richard Morris of Ex Machina reckoned that whole new formats could be created to take advantage of the technology.

His colleague Jeroen Elfferich described how this was already beginning to happen with Netherlands interactive gameshow Intuition, which used Ex Machina’s PlayToTV platform and was, he said, the first such show to be created specifically for second screen.

Unsurprisingly, the gameshow has proved a popular choice for associated apps with game mechanics.

Remarkable Television’s David Flynn described the process of creating The Million Pound Drop and Bank Job – two shows which used second screens to integrate a strong interactive element. He said the key to their success was that they took an existing viewer impulse – e.g. “I can do better at answering the questions than the people on TV” – and made it an achievable goal thanks to synched second screen.

He described how Million Pound Drop had evolved from a simple game dynamic mocked up in his company’s offices with a cardboard box and a stack of pound coins.

The tasks required of him as exec illustrate how his role changed to incorporate the second screen aspect of the show. During the live broadcast he would oscillate between a more conventional TV role and one that included the online component of the game. He explained that during the development process he had to work closely with digital developers who had different timescales and demands to those usual in TV.

The need for execs to broaden their skill-sets to understand both digital and traditional TV domains was emphasised by Mark Sorrel, games guru from Somethin’ Else. He argued that, if a company was going to produce a game to go along with its show, it should strive to make it just as polished as the finished programme for TV.

The focus wasn’t just on gameshows, however. Three BBC speakers – Dan Biddle, Chris Sizemore and Steve Herrmann – discussed how second screen could be successfully used with dramas, live news and across the BBC’s educational content with the new Knowledge & Learning product.

BBC Future Media head of audiences Holly Goodier argued that second screen is an old idea in a new environment, and that the corporation could learn much about its successful application by looking at the success of its Red Button service.

Social media was also scrutinised. As a natural use of the second screen, there is plenty of potential to engage with audiences – as Andy Littledale of SecondSynch illustrated with his statistic that 40% of UK tweets at peak time are about TV programmes. The question is how, or indeed whether, to harness this.

Whatever it focuses on, it’s clear that second screen is a burgeoning phenomenon that isn’t going to go away anytime soon. To make the most of it, keeping audiences engaged with the programme and not flicking to their Facebook profile takes innovative content which demands a variety of skills – from conventional TV making, to digital design, to game mechanics.

Few people are going to have them all. But, as awareness of what it takes to make second screen grows, so surely will the success of its application.

For videos from the event, visit the BBC Academy YouTube channel.

Zeebox: TV’s new best friend

Went to a very interesting Zeebox talk this week led by its creator, technologist Anthony Rose.

Zeebox is available both as iPad and web app and it really brings a whole new social level to watching telly. This free app allows you to see what your Facebook friends are watching whilst simultaneously enabling you to chat with them. It also provides Twitter feeds, Google search results, Wikipedia articles etc. to anything related to the show, as well as iTunes links to music and films. Here’s a really good clip explaining what Zeebox is about:

Check out the promo:

It’s quite an exciting way of enabling the users to consume content. Zeebox is tagged as television’s new best friend. This companion viewing application has content at your finger tips and although there are still some features to fix / add, there is definitely a lot of potential for some cool second screen propositions that could create two-way experiences and contextual experiences around live television. What I particularly find impressive about Zeebox is its eCommerce element in which products on telly are not only recognised, reviewed and purchasable but it also allows synchronised first and second screen advertising. I feel that this is the beginning of being able to monetise this untamed landscape.

Rose said: “My goal is to create a win-win between technology and editorial.”

Zeebox is currently only available in the UK but there are firm plans to make it available globally.

Some interesting links:
- Zeebox website
- Huffington Post: Janis Curry – Will Zeebox revolutionise the way we watch TV?
- The Register: Natalie Apostolou – iPlayer founder launches next big TV thing-Zeebox

RTS Craft & Design Awards 2010/2011

Congratulations to all the winners of the Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards 2010/2011. The ceremony, hosted by Myleene Klass, was held last night at the Savoy, London. Here’s what the RTS said:

The RTS Craft & Design Awards recognise the huge variety of skills and processes involved in programme production, from costume design and digital effects to editing and lighting. Nigel Pickard, Group Director, Family Entertainment and Drama at Zodiak Media Group, chaired this year’s awards.

The biggest winner of the evening was The Crimson Petal and The White, produced for BBC Two by Origin Pictures/Cité Amérique, which won in three categories: Costume Design – Drama, Make Up Design – Drama and Production Design – Drama.

Other programmes awarded included 24 Hours In A&E, produced by The Garden Productions for Channel 4, which won Multicamera Work; Strike Back: Project Dawn, produced by Left Bank Pictures for Sky1 HD, which won Big Bang Stunts & Effects; and Downtown Abbey, produced by Carnival Film and Television for ITV1, which won Photography – Drama.

The Winners:

Effects – Digital
The Mill – Doctor Who – Series 6 ‘A Christmas Carol,’ BBC Wales for BBC One
“A vast array of visual effects, displaying a Hollywood-style ambition, was hugely impressive, despite a modest budget.”

Nominees
Phil Dobree, Dan Upton, Sophie Orde & Matt Chandler, Jellyfish Pictures – Inside The Human Body, BBC Productions/Jellyfish Pictures for BBC One
Erik Ellefsen, George Kyparissous, Sarah Norton & Jo Amery – Misfits Series 2, Clerkenwell Films for E4

Effects – Special
Big Bang Stunts & Effects – Strike Back: Project Dawn, Left Bank Pictures for Sky1HD
“Precision effects and stunts achieved with perfect timing, combined with fast-paced choreography, delivered high-tension drama in a way that is rarely seen on television.”

Nominees
Danny Hargreaves – Coronation Street – Tram Crash, Real SFX for ITV Studios for ITV1
Ed Smith, Colin Gorry Effects – The Shadow Line, A Company Pictures/Eight Rooks/Baby Cow Production in association with CinemaNX and Isle Of Man Films for BBC Two

Costume Design – Drama
Annie Symons – The Crimson Petal and The White, Origin Pictures/Cité Amérique for BBC Two
“Stunning, highly designed with beautiful detail. The jury thought the heightened reality was like nothing they’ve ever seen before, showing the underbelly of a period with extraordinary use of colour.”

Nominees
Joanna Eatwell – Eric and Ernie, BBC Wales in association with Blue Door Adventures for BBC Two
Charlotte Walter – This Is England ’86, Warp Films and Big Arty Production for Channel 4

Costume Design – Entertainment & Non Drama Productions
Lucia Santa Maria – The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson, BBC Productions for BBC One
“The costumes were hilarious, taking the jury by surprise, and the detail really added to the impressions.”

Nominees
Stephen Adnitt – Dancing On Ice – Series 6, ITV Studios for ITV1
Annie Hardinge – Come Fly With Me, Little Britain Productions/BBC Productions
for BBC One

Picture Enhancement
Sonny Sheriden – Eric and Ernie, BBC Wales in association with Blue Door Adventures for BBC Two
“A fresh take on nostalgia, this astounding piece of grading elevated the production to a whole new level.”

Nominees
Ross Baker – Armstrong And Miller – Series 3, Hat Trick Productions for BBC One
Gareth Spensley, Molinare – The Hour, Kudos Film and Television for BBC Two

Lighting For Multicamera
Chris Chisnall & The Lighting Team – Coronation Street – Live, ITV Studios for ITV1
“The jury was impressed with the degree of atmospheric and dramatic lighting that the team achieved in a very challenging and ambitious live drama.”

Nominees
Mark Kenyon – Strictly Come Dancing – Series 8 ‘Halloween Special’, BBC Productions for BBC One
Roger Williams – Copycats – Series 2, BBC Children’s Scotland for CBBC

Multicamera Work
Camera Team – 24 Hours In A&E, The Garden Productions for Channel 4
“This winner was a perfect marriage of subject matter and technique. Its extremely complex use of 70 fixed camera rigs captured the drama with a commendable level of skill and respect.”

Nominees
Paul Davies & The SIS Camera Team – Wimbledon – Nadal Vs Murray (Men’s Semifinal), SIS Live for BBC Sport
The Team of Directors & Cameramen – The Royal Wedding, BBC Productions (Entertainment and Events) for BBC One

Sound – Drama
Glen Marullo, Nigel Edwards, Linda Murdoch & Lee Crichlow – The Shadow Line, A Company Pictures/Eight Rooks/Baby Cow Production in association with CinemaNX and Isle Of Man Films for BBC Two
“This sound team demonstrated excellent location recording coupled with a highly detailed mix to create a subtle and yet tense atmosphere. It was the intimacy of the quiet scenes that particularly impressed the judges.”

Nominees
Alan Monks & The Sound Team – Coronation Street – Live, ITV Studios for ITV1
Sound Team – Bill Bailey’s Little Cracker, Sprout Productions for Sky1 HD

Sound – Entertainment & Non Drama
Matt Skilton, Paul Paragon & The Sound Team – Wootton Bassett: The Town That Remembers, BBC Bristol for BBC One
“The judges were extremely impressed by the unique sound treatment of this show. It conveyed the mood of the day perfectly, whilst demonstrating superb technical ability in difficult circumstances. It gave an intimate insight into the story of repatriation in a moving way, achieved on the whole by the superb soundtrack.”

Nominees
Tony Revell, Andy Tapley & Howard Hopkins – Strictly Come Dancing – Series 8 ‘Halloween Special’, BBC Productions for BBC One
The Farm Audio Team – The X Factor – Series 8, A Syco TV Production/ talkbackTHAMES for ITV1

Make Up Design – Drama
Jacqueline Fowler – The Crimson Petal and The White, Origin Pictures/Cité Amérique for BBC Two
“The detail of the winning entry was perfect, the hair and make up had a very strong sense of itself and the make up in particular gave the characters an unhealthy look. The whole piece was visually amazing and bold choices were taken for the cast to be unadorned.”

Nominees
Christina Baker – Eric and Ernie, BBC Wales in association with Blue Door Adventures for BBC Two
Penny Smith – Psychoville Halloween – Series 2, BBC Productions for BBC Two

Make Up Design – Entertainment & Non Drama Productions
Lisa Cavalli-Green & Team – Come Fly With Me, Little Britain Productions/BBC Productions for BBC One
“The make up totally delivers the comedy for this series. It’s hard to believe the characters are two men.”

Nominees
Lisa Armstrong – Strictly Come Dancing – Series 8 ‘Halloween Special’, BBC Productions for BBC One
Lucy Cain & Team – The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson, BBC Productions for BBC One

Photography – Drama
David Katznelson – Downton Abbey, Carnival Film and Television for ITV1
“A visual delight conveying in beautifully observed detail the different worlds above and below stairs, from the rigidity of stiff upper-lipped life upstairs, to the frenzied hustle and bustle of work downstairs.”

Nominees
Kieran McGuigan – Christopher and his Kind, Mammoth Screen for BBC Two
Owen McPolin – Martina Cole’s The Runaway, Company Pictures/Warner Sisters for Sky1 HD

Photography – Documentary/Factual & Non Drama Productions
The Camera Team – Human Planet – Jungles, BBC Productions for BBC One
“A work which triumphed over astonishing technical challenges and delivered an amazing sense of tribal and jungle life in one of the most remote and endangered corners of the world.”

Nominees
Camera Team – Human Planet – Oceans – Into The Blue, BBC Productions for BBC One
Matt Norman, Tony Miller, Vijay Bedi & Alphonse Roy – Storyville – Marathon Boy, One Horse Town Productions/Renegade Pictures for BBC Four

Production Design – Drama
Grant Montgomery – The Crimson Petal and The White, Origin Pictures/Cité Amérique for BBC Two
“The winning programme simply took you to another world with its stunning imagery of Victorian life. Nothing was sacrificed transferring this novel to the small screen.”

Nominees
Brian Sykes – Psychoville Halloween – Series 2, BBC Productions for BBC Two
Chris Roope – South Riding, BBC Productions/Masterpiece for BBC One

Production Design – Entertainment & Non Drama Productions
Harry Banks – Miranda – Series 2, BBC Productions for BBC Two
“The sets in this winning show genuinely feel like characters that add hugely to the comedy, allowing the central protagonist to perform all manner of slapstick. The semi heightened reality of each location ties together beautifully across the series to give it a distinctive look and feel.”

Nominees
Peter Aston, BDA Set Design – Match Of The Day/Football Focus, BBC Sport for BBC One
Iain McDonald – How Not To Live Your Life – Series 3, Brown Eyed Boy Productions for BBC Three

Music – Original Score
Vince Pope – Misfits Series 2, Clerkenwell Films for E4
“Powerful, emotive, weighty and contemporary. A truly engaging score that worked well with the pictures… always adding to the drama, never becoming melodrama.”

Nominees
Will Gregory – Polar Bear: Spy On The Ice, John Downer Productions for BBC One
Rob Lane – The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher, Hat Trick Productions for ITV1

Music – Original Title
Adrian Johnston – Zen, Left Bank Pictures for BBC One
“Sexy, sophisticated and very classy, with beautifully understated references to Bacharach and David. A real signature tune.”

Nominees
David Arnold – Come Fly With Me, Little Britain Productions/BBC Productions for BBC One
John Lunn – Downton Abbey, Carnival Film and Television for ITV1

Tape & Film Editing – Drama
Roy Sharman – Exile, AbbottVision/Red Production Company for BBC One
“Beautifully built with abstract detail and clever atmosphere. The complex time frame is handled with care and precision to balance the differing time periods and building tension within the plot. A classic example of craft editing that shapes a stunning production graced by an excellent cast.”

Nominees
Victoria Boydell – Random, Hillbilly Films for Channel 4
John Smith A.C.E – Thorne, Stagereel/Cité-Amérique for Sky1HD

Tape & Film Editing – Documentary & Factual
Chris King – Our War – Ambushed, BBC Productions for BBC Three
“The fact that the programme was cut from material that was never intended for broadcast is testament to the skill and talent of the editor. He had the immense challenge of trying to make sense out of hours of rough and incoherent footage that had been filmed on helmet cameras. What he achieved was an incredibly powerful and moving piece of television. The narrative that was constructed out of the chaos was absolutely compelling.”

Nominees
Stuart Napier & Imogen Pollard – Polar Bear: Spy On The Ice, John Downer Productions for BBC One
Edit Team – 24 Hours In A&E, The Garden Productions for Channel 4

Tape & Film Editing – Entertainment & Situation Comedy
Lucien Clayton – Friday Night Dinner, A Popper Pictures/Big Talk Production for Channel 4
“This programme breathes new life into the traditional family-based sitcom and the way it has been edited is instrumental to its success. The editor displays great comic timing and pacing and captures quick fire banter and subtle nuance.”

Nominees
Post Production Team – I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! Series 10, ITV Studios for ITV1
The Farm Editing Team – The X Factor – Series 8, A Syco TV Production/ talkbackTHAMES for ITV1

Graphic Design – Programme Content Sequences
Richard Gort, Mark Wilkin, Eddie Butler & Turquoise Branding – F1 Monaco Grand Prix, BBC Sport/Turquoise Branding for BBC One
“This was a stylish and very well conceived package with all of the elements dovetailing perfectly. The script, colouring and typography echoed a James Bond theme but still managed to make a distinctive creative design statement. Slick, classy and appropriate to its audience, it was beautifully executed.”

Nominees
Julian Gibbs, Ron Chakraborty & Richard Gort – Superbowl XLV, Intro for BBC One
Stuart Pitcher, Simon Dowling, Jason Griffin & Tim Baxter, Fugitive Studios – Random, Hillbilly Films for Channel 4

Graphic Design – Titles
Hugo Moss, Justin Lowings & Paul McDonnell – Any Human Heart, Carnival Film And Television for Channel 4
“A wonderful colour palette, great design and a stylish, elegant realisation made these titles a perfect introduction to the series. Flickers of light and lengthening shadows, clean lines and beautifully choreographed animation lifted the visuals into a class of their own.”

Nominees
Amy Merry & Yianni Papanicolaou – The Hour, Kudos Film And Television for BBC Two
Production Team – Come Fly With Me, Little Britain Productions/BBC Productions for BBC One

Design & Craft Innovation
Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice Production Team
“This delightful and amazing film was principally shot by unmanned cameras over a period of six months in the very extreme and demanding conditions of the Arctic. Using spy cameras, this film gets the viewer closer than ever before to the world’s greatest land predator, the polar bear.

The cameras, using complex central rigs, not only achieved remarkable close-up footage of the bears but also star in the film as distinct characters in their own right, with names like Iceberg Cam, Blizzard Cam and Drift Cam. These state-of-the-art cameras enabled the production team to uniquely capture an intimate portrait of polar bears’ lives, creating a classic natural history programme while at the same time making a film that was innovative and contemporary in the way it was shot and the technology that was used.”

Judges’ Award

Spooks Production Team
“This year, the Judges’ Award goes to the production team behind one of the most important original British drama series of the last decade – a series which has re-invigorated the genre. First airing in May 2002, the series ushered in a new wave of smart, sophisticated, thought-provoking and above all entertaining drama on British television and beyond. It has firmly established its producer, Kudos, as one of the leading drama producers in the UK. Intelligent and complex narratives, often scarily precognitive, combined with craft and design innovation has made it a massive success.

Its wonderfully inventive visual style is created by a perfect combination of photography, powerful direction and stylish design. The late Colin Green pioneered the incredible editing style which included innovative transitions and multi screen scenes that helped interweave the complex plots and build the tension.

Graded like a commercial, sounding like a feature film and layered with special and digital effects that defied its budget, the series became the launch pad for many outstanding and award-winning craftspeople in our industry. However, their names were never revealed on air – it was the first and only BBC drama to have no end credits on screen.

The success and sustainability of the show, which has just completed its tenth and final series, is down to its outstanding production team.”

Lifetime Achievement Award
Martin Hawkins
“The recipient of this special award made his mark in the late 80s, running across fields chasing a young woman in Challenge Anneka. This is where he perfected his hand held camera technique as well as getting extremely fit.

Very soon he would make an even bigger impression as Director of Photography on many of the top comedy series of the last 20 years. Shows such as Drop the Dead Donkey, Birds of a Feather, Vicar of Dibley, Outnumbered, Armstrong and Miller, The IT Crowd, The One Ronnie and Phone Shop to name a few.

His sense of humour, infectious laughter combined with his skill at lighting and capturing the story made him the first choice for many producers and directors. He is also a joy to work with.

He has gone on to work especially well with writer/performer/directors such as Richard Ayoade on Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, and more recently with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant on Extras and Life’s Too Short.

Here is what Ricky and Stephen have to say about our recipient who they have dubbed The Hawk:

“The Hawk is one the finest DOPs we’ve worked with and he has a great pair of knees, which he shows off by wearing shorts whatever the weather.

On set he’s always calm and full of good-humour – and always does a terrific job whatever shooting style we throw at him – which could be hand-held documentary one minute, phony Hollywood blockbuster the next.

Congratulations on your lifetime achievement award, Hawk, much deserved. Although it better not push your price up.”

- Royal Television Society website

RTS Futures’ The Only Way Is… Structured Reality

This week was RTS Futures‘ much-awaited The Only Way Is… Structured Reality held at the Hallam Conference Centre.

Discussing the concept of ‘structured reality’, the evening featured the major players of this genre: Sarah Dillistone (Executive Producer, Made In Chelsea), Claire Faragher (Executive Producer, TOWIE, series 2), Daran Little (award-winning television writer now Story Supervisor, MIC). And of course the evening was completed by reality TV stars Amy Childs (TOWIE) and Ollie Locke (MIC).

Certainly with shows like TOWIE and MIC, constructed reality shows are here to stay. The panel talked through the evolution of both of these key shows, from initial idea to production process, revealed a few trade secrets, fascinating tips and exclusive insider information along the way. One thing that became apparent is that there is an enormous amount of duty of care to the contributors from the production side of things and the latest technological advances are also shaping the way and speed in which these shows are being made.

Some interesting read about constructed reality:
- Mail Online: From The Only Way is Essex…to The Sloaney Way is Chelsea: After the success of the reality TV show, an upmarket version
- Mail Online: The Only Way Is Essex: How I created TV’s most reviled show – and won a Bafta
- The Guardian: A different kind of reality TV

TV Choice Awards 2011 winners

Here are the winners of tonight’s TV Choice Awards.

:: Best Food Show – Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals

:: Best Entertainment Show – Celebrity Juice

:: Best Drama Series – Being Human

:: Best New Drama – Sherlock

:: Best Daytime Show – The Jeremy Kyle Show

:: Best Game Show – The Cube

:: Best Family Drama – Doctor Who

:: Best Reality Show – The Apprentice

:: Best Talent Show – Britain’s Got Talent

:: Best Comedy – The Inbetweeners

:: Best Lifestyle Show – Come Dine With Me

:: Best Factual Entertainment Show – Top Gear

:: Best Actor – David Tennant (Single Father)

:: Best Actress – Karen Gillan (Doctor Who)

:: Best Soap Newcomer – Paula Lane (Coronation Street)

:: Best Soap Storyline – 50th Anniversary tram crash (Coronation Street)

:: Best Soap Actress – Jessie Wallace (EastEnders)

:: Best Soap Actor – Shane Richie (EastEnders)

:: Best Soap – EastEnders

Congratulations to all the winners!